Practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in Rhode Island
Career News September 20, 2013Besides making the CNN Money’s 2012 list of 100 Top Jobs in America, there are many other reasons that pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner is a smart choice. Discover why pursuing this career can be one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Job Security
People will always need healthcare, so working as a nurse practitioner (NP), the job stability is strong. If you’re ever unhappy at a job, then you should have the ability to easily find employment elsewhere. A 2011 study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics found that increasing amounts of patients in hospitals are being seen by NPs. This is due to the shortage of MDs, and the need for nurse practitioners is only expected to grow even more in the future.
Job Satisfaction
Being satisfied with your job is important. According to Medical Economics, a study was conducted by a company that employs physicians and NPs on a temporary basis. Job satisfaction was high among NPs. 100 percent of the NPs included in the study admitted to having extremely positive feelings regarding their career and responsibilities.
Greater Earning Power
Registered nurses make a relatively good salary, but nurse practitioners can earn substantially more. According to U.S. News – Money, someone working in this occupation can earn between $64,100 and $125,450 per year, depending on where you live. In Rhode Island, nurse practitioners make about $87,000.
Many Choices for Sub-specialties
As an NP, you have many more options when it comes to where you want to work and what kind of patients you want to work with. If you like working with psychiatric patients, then you can become a psychiatric NP. If you prefer the geriatric population, then you can specialize in geriatrics.
Greater Autonomy
While RNs must be supervised by a physician at all times, NPs have greater freedom and don’t necessarily have to work under the supervision of an MD. This would enable you to work more independently. Even if a medical facility that does require NPs to be supervised by a physician, NPs still have greater independence when compared to many other professions.
Obviously, pursuing a career as an NP is not only exciting, but it can potentially be personally rewarding. You could provide a comfortable living for yourself and your family while simultaneously working in a profession that you absolutely love.
